On May 1, 2023, Mayor Lucas announced the appointment of the Mayor’s Commission on Reparations to study and make recommendations to the city on reparatory justice for past harm and discriminatory practices against Kansas City’s Black community. In January, the Kansas City Council voted to establish the 13 person Mayor’s Commission on Reparations through ordinance 220966.

In announcing the Commission, Mayor Lucas said, “Building a better community for all requires our City to address past wrongs, ongoing patterns of discrimination, and tools by which we may create equal opportunity for all Kansas Citians. I thank the members of the Mayor’s Commission on Reparations for engaging in the important review and work essential in providing a template for City Council, Kansas City businesses, and our entire community for how we can support long-term equitable growth for all parts of Greater Kansas City.”

The Commission held a swearing in ceremony and meeting on May 23, 2023, and announced additional meetings to review and consider recommended changes to the Charter. Meetings will be publicly noticed by the City Clerk, and available via Zoom and KCMO Channel 2 for the public.

Mayor's Commission on Reparations - Filmmaker Kevin Willmott:

From Separate to Equal documentary:

Meetings

The Commission meets the 4th Tuesday of each month on the 10th floor of City Hall from 3 - 5 p.m. During the Commission’s regular meetings, Commissioners will discuss proposed solutions and provide space for public comments from any member of the public as well.

You may join any of the meetings on Zoom. 

Each commissioner serves on an impact area subcommittee. Subcommittees meetings are monthly and open to the public.

• Healthcare – 2nd Tuesday of each month  from 4pm to 5pm
• Education – 2nd Wednesday of each month from 4pm to 5pm
• Housing – 3rd Tuesday of each month from 3pm to 4pm
• Economics – 2nd Thursday of each month from 3pm to 4pm
• Criminal Justice - TBD
• Full Commission Meeting - 4th Tuesday of each month from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.

The Commission will also hold periodic public listening sessions, designed to hear feedback from the public on proposed reparations solutions, and will be streamed on the City’s YouTube and Facebook channels.

Mayor’s Commission on Reparations Appointees: 

• Terri Barnes, Chair, Non-Profit Leader and President, the Nia Project
• Linwood Tauheed, Associate Professor of Economics, the University of Missouri-Kansas City
• Cornell Ellis, Educator and Founder of Brothers Liberating Our Communities (BLOC)
• Dionne King, Consultant, DMK Consultants
• Madison Lyman, Student, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy
• Ryan Sorrell, Journalist and Founder of the publication the Kansas City Defender
• Kenneth Ford, Author, Descendent Freedman Alliance (DFA)
• Fritz Riesmeyer, Partner, Seigfreid Bingham
• Bridgette Jones, Physician and Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
• Kelli Hearn, Housing Leader, Program Officer at LISC Greater Kansas City
• Will Bowles, Advocate, Kansas City Black United Front
• Danise Hartsfield, Executive Director, Communities Creating Opportunities
• Ajia Morris, Urban Developer and Cofounder, Greenline Initiative
• Ex-Officio Mickey Dean, Kansas City Reparations Commission
• Ex-Officio Ester Holzendorf, Kansas City Reparations Commission
• Ex-Officio Justice Gatson,  Founder & Director:  Reale Justice Network

KC Reparations Coalition

The mission of the KC Reparations Coalition is to

1. provide information, resources, and opportunities for discussion with the community about Black reparations in Kansas City, Missouri and
2. facilitate development and implementation of local reparations proposals.

Resources

Review the Commission Suggested Reading List.

Submitting Public Comment to the Commission